Ding Liren
GM · China · born 1992 · peak 2816
Photo: Stefan64 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
China's first World Chess Champion and a phenomenal defender.
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Roast Ding on chess.com →Who is Ding Liren?
Ding Liren is a Chinese grandmaster who became China's first World Chess Champion in 2023. Known for incredible resilience and creativity, he once went 100 classical games without a loss.
Playing style
Ding is a deep, resourceful player and a superb defender who finds saves in positions others would lose. At his best he blends rock-solid technique with sudden bursts of creativity.
Signature openings
- Queen's Gambit Declined
- Ruy Lopez
- Nimzo-Indian Defense
- Catalan Opening
Career highlights
- World Chess Champion 2023
- China's highest-rated player in history
- Set a record 100-game unbeaten streak in classical chess
- Multiple-time Olympiad gold medalist with China
What you can learn from Ding
Never give up a worse position. Ding shows that stubborn, accurate defense saves half points (and whole points) that most players throw away by panicking.
Did you know?
- His 100-game unbeaten run is one of the longest in elite chess history.
- Studied law at university alongside his chess career.
- Famous for calm, unflappable defense under pressure.
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